


count the minutes

by Samsonet



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 10:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22494289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samsonet/pseuds/Samsonet
Summary: Hop is going to Unova for a conference. Leon helps him pack.
Relationships: Dande | Leon & Hop
Comments: 3
Kudos: 103





	count the minutes

The day Hop is going to leave, Leon makes sure to be home.

“Do you have your passport?” he asks.

“Check!”

“What about the paperwork for all your Pokemon?”

“Check!”

“Did you pack warm clothes? Unova can get pretty cold this time of year.”

“Lee, I promise I got everything!”

Hop is sounding frustrated, but Leon can’t help it. His little brother is leaving the region for four whole days, with Sonia as his only companion. Leon’s worried. Sure, Hop had been alone for most of the gym challenge, but that was still _Galar_. Who would dare attack the champion’s little brother, after all?

But Unova…

Unova was a lawless place. Their twin heroes aren’t protectors. Every time their legends appear, _they_ are the ones causing death and destruction. Strong trainer or not, it wasn’t a good place for someone of Hop’s empathy and kindness.

He wishes he could go with them. He wishes Gloria could go with them. But no, it’s an academic conference, and neither Leon nor Gloria has a place there.

Leon unzips Hop’s suitcase and double-checks to make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be.

For his part, Hop doesn’t seem too worried. He’s sitting on the edge of his bed, a notebook in his lap and the conference flyer in his hand. He’s taking notes. He looks so different than the excitable kid Leon used to visit, or even the solemn challenger who made it all the way to Wyndon. Hop is growing up — has grown up — right before Leon’s eyes.

“I’m going to miss you, Hopscotch.”

That makes him look up, curiously. “Why? It’s only four days. You’ve been gone for longer than that.”

Leon doesn’t know what his face looks like, but it must be horrible, because Hop immediately tries to backtrack: “I-I mean, I’m going to miss you, too, Lee. I’ll call you every day and—”

“No,” he says with a sigh. “You’re right. It’s only four days. You don’t have to call.”

Because it is selfish of him, he knows, to keep Hop at a distance for all those champion years and only get clingy when Hop finds his own dream to pursue. Regardless of how natural it is for a big brother to miss a little brother, Leon _should_ be putting on a smile and making Hop’s last few hours here as stress-free as possible.

He sets to work re-packing the bag.

Hop watches him for a while. Then he says, “This conference is gonna be the farthest I’ve ever been away from you.”

“Please don’t say it like that.”

“I-I mean! Is that really a bad thing? These are professors a-and researchers! Most of them are from regions all the way across the world! They don’t know about leagues, so it’s okay if I’m stupid or weak, because they won’t connect me to you.”

“You’re not stupid _or_ weak, Hop.”

“Well…”

“ _Hop._ ” Leon puts his hands on his brother’s shoulders and looks him in the eyes. “Who was one of the last four challengers in the season, after sixteen others failed or gave up? You. Who was the one who figured out how to summon the legendary Pokemon and saved the region? You. Who was the one who befriended Zamazenta without battling it — something even I wouldn’t be able to do? You again, Hop. You’re _amazing_ and I love you. So.”

Hop is staring. He might be holding his breath.

Leon continues: “Don’t worry about what people think of _me_. That’s my job. I want you to go to this conference and have a-a _legendary time_ there. Learn! Grow! Become the best version of Hop you can be!”

He presses his forehead against Hop’s. “And in four days, I’ll be at the airport, waiting to hear all about it.”

Hop takes a breath. He smiles, a small smile. He nods.

“You are going to come back, right?” Leon asks, pulling away. “Not going to get so caught up in researching the cool Unovan Pokemon that you forget me?”

Hop laughs. “Of course not, Lee.”

He looks down, still smiling, and scribbles something on the margins of his notes.


End file.
